The present invention relates to vaporizers; more specifically to a vaporizer providing replaceable and disposable or easily cleanable components, having improved electrodes, and having a container with mineral salts to enhance the flow of electric current between vaporizer elements.
A vaporizer provides steam or moist air to a room by heating and thus evaporating water. This may be done to make a room more comfortable and to provide a healthier environment.
A typical vaporizer includes a reservoir holding water and a boiling chamber (also called a heating unit, evaporation chamber or boiling cup) accepting water from the reservoir. The boiling chamber includes two electrodes, commonly manufactured from stainless steel, which may be, for example, flat plates, one inch wide and four inches long, which are separated by a distance of approximately one half inch. Each electrode is connected directly to one lead of a conventional 120 volt household electric current supply. The electrodes are submerged in water supplied from the reservoir, and electric current flowing between the electrodes and through the water heats the water to the point of boiling. Steam and water vapor are formed and flow out of a hole in the boiling chamber, humidifying the surrounding air. The boiling chamber concentrates heat provided by the electrodes in a space which is smaller than the reservoir, allowing for faster boiling.
The water in the reservoir is usually supplied from a household tap, and thus contains various dissolved solids and minerals. These dissolved solids and minerals stay behind in the boiling chamber as the water evaporates, and collect on the electrodes and in the chamber as a white, flaky powder called scale. Scale buildup lowers the efficiency of a vaporizer by electrically insulating the electrodes and by taking up space in the boiling chamber which may otherwise be used for water. Eventually, scale buildup will cause a vaporizer to cease working entirely.
In the past consumers have been required to remove vaporizer scale buildup by periodically washing the boiling chamber and electrodes. One recommended method is soaking the electrodes and boiling chamber in vinegar. The inconvenience of this maintenance is a barrier to the use of such vaporizers. Furthermore, some consumers simply do not wash the boiling chamber. In such a case the vaporizer soon ceases to work, resulting in consumer dissatisfaction. Maintenance may also pose a safety hazard. Typically, a lid or cover may be opened so that the user may access the boiling chamber. Opening this lid typically disables the delivery of current to the electrodes in the boiling chamber, since the level of current at the electrodes is the full voltage from the home electrical supply. However, such safety systems may work imperfectly or may be defeated. The reservoir for such vaporizers may be cleaned using a dishwasher. However, imperfect dishwasher cleaning may result, as such reservoirs have a downward facing lip surrounding an upper opening. When inverted in a dishwasher the downward facing lip prevents proper drainage, and water and soap may collect around the inside of the lip, preventing complete cleaning.
A certain amount of dissolved minerals are required for a conventional vaporizer to operate, for example to allow sufficient electric current to pass between the electrodes. While over a period of time dissolved minerals may accumulate in a vaporizer boiling chamber, when a clean or new boiling chamber is first used, the mineral concentration in the water may be too low to enable effective boiling. The dissolved mineral content in tap water varies widely according to household and region, and some consumers may use distilled water in an attempt to extend the life of such vaporizers and eliminate scale buildup. Therefore manufacturers have provided instructions to consumers to add mineral salts to low mineral content water to enable the flow of electrical current between vaporizer terminals.
In conventional vaporizers, as the water level in the reservoir falls, thereby lowering the water level in the boiling chamber, the electrodes become less submerged. Therefore, as the water level drops, less of the electrodes are exposed, and the efficiency of the vaporizer diminishes.
Therefore, there exists a need for a vaporizer which requires less maintenance than prior art vaporizers, which may be easily and safely maintained, and which has components which are compatible with dishwasher cleaning. There also exists a need for a vaporizer which provides an adequate amount of starter salts or minerals the first time the vaporizer or boiling chamber is used, thereby eliminating the need for a user to add mineral salts or for the use of a pump or other extra equipment. There is a need for a vaporizer where the efficiency of the vaporizer does not diminish as the water level in the reservoir falls.
An exemplary embodiment of the vaporizer of the present invention provides a heating chamber which may be quickly and easily removed and replaced when scale buildup interferes with the operation of the vaporizer. The vaporizer may have an improved electrode configuration, whereby the bottom portion of the electrodes provide most of the boiling energy. The vaporizer may be easily and safely maintained, as user access to the electrodes is prevented. In an another embodiment of the present invention, an electrode cartridge may be quickly and easily removed for replacement or cleaning. A unique reservoir design provides for a flat or rising lip surrounding the main reservoir opening, which allows the reservoir to be compatible with dishwasher cleaning. In a further exemplary embodiment a vaporizer is provided having a quantity of mineral salts supplied with the boiling chamber to enhance the flow of electric current between the vaporizer elements.